#HereToBeHeard Conversations: Parenthood

Story

November 7, 2022 2 minute read

It's time to turn the volume up on the issue of Gender Equality in the workplace.

In our Here To Be Heard study, we asked over 10,000 women from 88 countries one simple question: What needs to change for women to reach their full potential?

With their input we created a report, in partnership with Oxford University’s Saïd Business School and BSR, which identified key themes that we all need to address to build a future where business and society are inclusive.

The top theme that emerged was the need to bring an end to systemic discrimination and harmful gender stereotypes. With this conversation series, we’re bringing together diverse groups of people to share their experiences, as well as discuss actions that we can all take to help create meaningful change.

Our first subject matter was parenthood and the stereotypes surrounding it in the workplace.

Sadly, parents are often judged and pigeonholed by harmful gender stereotypes.

Many of the harmful stereotypes identified by women in the Here To Be Heard study related to parenting – from entrenched gender roles to unaffordable childcare and parental leave. At Mars, we’re expanding U.S. childcare benefits. Additionally, we’re improving a range of family support benefits as well as actively exploring ways to enhance parental leave support globally. But we know we can still do more to support parents.

Claire Goss

Claire Goss is the Manager of Family Education and Resources at Bright Horizons. She has a masters degree in parenting and family studies, and is passionate about supporting parents with child development knowledge to use every day in raising their kids.

Ikdeep Singh

Ikdeep Singh is the Global President of Mars Pet Nutrition. He’s a proud husband, father of two, and male ally. As a sponsor of #HereToBeHeard, he’s passionate about how leaders and businesses can encourage and support their people to make parenting an important part of their life and support through role modelling.

Lourdes Ramirez

Lourdes Ramirez is the R&D Director, Latin America North for Mars Wrigley. As a Latinx, a woman, and single mother by choice, she understands on a very personal level the stereotypes surrounding gender and minorities. As a business leader, she does her best to combat all of them a daily basis.

José Rolòn

José Rolòn is an event planner and wedding photographer based in New York City. He is a widowed father living in Brooklyn Heights with his three wonderful children, Avery, Lilah, and London. He is a television host, social media influencer, public speaker, and an advocate for LGBTQ+, Latinx, and BIPOC community.

We learned a lot, and hope you will too. Here are some key learnings.

Parents need to play equal roles

I think it's equally important that both parents play equal roles as much as possible and take the time to actually help, especially in the first year, because it's a very delicate phase of the child's life.

– Ikdeep Singh

Time to speak up

We're restabilizing as a society, employers are realizing how intricately combined everything is, and you cannot support just one without supporting all of it. I would advise a working parent, who doesn't feel supported, now is the time to speak up and say something.

– Claire Goss

Parenting is hard

Anybody offer you help, you pull out that to-do list from your pocket with a smile and say, 'Thank you,'" because this parenting thing is hard, no matter
which way you slice it.

– José Rolòn

Be authentic

The most important thing is to be authentic to yourself and not feel guilty about asking for help, because being a mom, being a dad, whether you're single or married is going to be difficult.

– Lourdes Ramirez

Together we can help women reach their full potential

The actions we take today can build a better tomorrow. With our continued learning, including what we heard from women in the #HereToBeHeard study, we’re committed to creating enduring positive change for women in our workplaces, sourcing communities and the marketplace. Here are just a few of the actions we’re taking toward a more gender-inclusive society. Learn more about our platform to advance gender equality.